Telltale electric switch



March 1, 1938. H. w. BATCHELLER 2,109,790

TELLTALE ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed July 18, 1935 W b); $1M, I

3 KM W which are hereinafter described in detail and are Patented Mar.1, 1938 TELLTALE ELECTRIC SWITCH Hugh W. Batcheller, Waltham, Mesa,assignmto Standard Mfg. 00., Worcester, Mass a-corporation ofMassachusetts Application July 18, 1935, Serial No. 32,031

4 Claims. (01. 200-167) .Thls invention relates to improvements inelectric switches and rheostats, particularly such as are adapted to bemounted on the dash of an automobile for controlling auxiliaryelectrical apparatus in the automobile. A telltale lightis desirable forsuch apparaus to diminish the chances of inadvertently leaving theapparatus connected to the battery for extended periods of time, and theconsequent danger of exhausting and damaging the battery. Dashboardswitches and rheostats for automobiles are in wide use, many suchdevices including an externally threaded sleeve carrying apair of nutsby which the device can be clamped to the dash directly or to a bracketwhich in turn may be secured to the dash.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a translucent memberwhich can be supplied as a part of a switch or rheostat structure or canbe mounted on a pre-existing switch or rheostat. According to theinvention, an aperture is provided in the sleeve whereby light from alamp therein may shine out radially to illuminate the translucent memberfrom the rear, such member being ofiset radially from the sleeve. Theinvention may be embodied in various ways, some of illustrated on thedrawing of which Figure 1 isa perspective view of an embodiment, of theinvention.- 1 y w Figure 2 is a perspective view' of separated portionsof the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure '3 is a sectional view of the device shown inFigurel.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modifie form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the members shown in Figure 5, mountedon a switch.

Figure 7 is a sectional view of a further modified form of theinvention.

Figure '8 is a perspective view of two of the members illustrated inFigure 7.

Figures 1 to 4 illustrate one form of the invention as applied to a.switch or rheostat of the type adapted to be mounted on the dash of anautomobile. The switch or rheostat itself is enclosed in a housing Hi,this housing including a forwardly projecting sleeve l I which ispreferably screw-threaded as shown. Rotatably mounted within the sleeveH is a hollow shaft l2 which is operably connected to the switch orrheostat so that the latter is turned on or off by rotation of the shaftl2. A suitable finger lmob i3 is mounted on the outer end of the shaftto facilitate rotation of the shaft. The details of structure of theswitch or rheostat contained in the housing II) are not shown in thedrawing as these details may be in any desired forms such as illustratedin my copending application Ser. No. 689,585, filed September 15, 1933.In attaching a switch of this kind to the dash of an automobile, a holemay be formed in the dash to receive the sleeve I l, a nut being set upon the sleeve against each of the-opposite faces of the dash member soas to hold the switch firmly in place. According to the presentinvention, a translucent member is mounted on the sleeve in front of thedash, this member being adapted to be illuminated from behind so thatlight shines through a translucent portion thereof when the switch orrheostat is on. As shown in Figure 3, the member indicated by thereference character l5 may represent a portion of the dash itself or abracket A which may in turn be clamped to the dash without necessitatinga hole through the dash. The rear face of the member I5 is engaged by anut IS on the sleeve Il. Against the front face of the member IS a,shield 20 is clamped as by a nut 2| which is threaded 'on the sleeve H.-Illumination In order that rays of light from the lamp 25 may isprovided by a suitable lamp 25 mounted within the hollow shaft'l2connectible so as to be lighted 'when the switch or rheostat is on" andto be v reach the rear face oflthe shield 20; I may provide a lateralaperture 26 in the sleeve ll adapted to register with one or moreapertures 21 in the hollowshaft l2. As indicated in Figure 2, a portion30 of the shield 20 is made with a com paratively thin wall so as totransmit more light cular aperture 3| adapted to fit loosely on thesleeve ll so that the shield surrounds the sleeve and projects radiallytherefrom. When the shield 20 is placed on the sleeve II in assemblingthe device, the thin portion 30 should be immediately above and in frontof the aperture 26. To ensure correct angular relation between theshield and sleeve, a key 32 may be provided in the aperture 3| to entera longitudinal slot 33 in the sleeve H. When the device is properlymounted on the dash of an automobile, the aperture 26 is uppermost inthe sleeve II and is immediately behind the thin portion 30 of theshield. When the lamp 25 lights, rays of light from the lamp passthrough the windows 21 and 26 and illuminate the thin portion 30 of theshield from the rear. Since the light rays which pass through theaperture 2| are either radial or nearly so, the rays which illuminatethe shield impinge at small angles on the rear face of the thin portion30, thus subduing the transmitted light.

Figures 5 and 6 show a modified form of the invention. As shown in,Figure 5, the hollow shaft I2 is provided with a knob 40 which has aradial flange 4| of translucent material. The switch housing i isprovided with a relatively short sleeve 45 adapted to project throughthe member i5, and with a casing member 46 which may be of any desiredmaterial. This casing member may conveniently be made of a moldedtranslucent plastic material similar to the material used for the knob40 and its flange 4|. The casing member 46 is clamped against the memberl5 by nuts l6 and 2| threaded on the sleeve 45, and has a large circularopening 41 adapted to receive a disk-like member 48. The member 48 hasa. central opening 50 through which the knob 40 projects, and also asmall window 5| adapted to expose a portion of the translucent flange4|. The shaft i2 is provided, as before, with one or more apertures 21through which rays of light from the lamp 25 may shine. As shown inFigure 6, the sleeve 45 may be sufliciently short to obviate thenecessity of any apertures 26, the apertures 2'1 in the shaft 2 beingbeyond the end of the sleeve-45. The members 46 and 48, together withthe flange 4|, form an enclosure into which some of the light from thelamp 25 shines when the lamp is lighted. The member 48 is preferably ofsheet metal or other opaque material, so that, while the entire rearface of the flange 4| is more or less illuminated through the apertures21, the only visible portion of the flange 4| is that which is seenthrough the window 5|. If desired, appropriate legends may be imprintedon the flange 4|, as indicated in Figure 5, so as to appear in thewindow 5| and indicate conditions of the rheostat when theshaftis turnedto corresponding angular positions.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate a further modified form of the invention. Inthis form, the enclosure surrounding the shaft I2 is formed by a pair ofeasing members 6|! and 6 I, these members being of any suitable materialsuch as metal stampings. The member 6| is a flanged disk having acentral opening adapted to fit loosely on the sleeve 45, a key element62 being provided to engage in a corresponding slot in the sleeve tohold the member 6| in a correct angular position on the sleeve. Theproper angular position between'the members 60 and 6| may be ensured bya key element 63 on-the member 60 which engages in a notch 64 on themember 8 l. The member 60 is provided with a central aperture 65 throughwhich the knob 40 is adapted to project. The member 60 is also providedwith a window 66 through which a portion of the flange 4| of the knobcan show. The member 60, being preferably opaque, exposes for thetransmission of light only the portion of the flange 4| that appears inthe window 66.

It is evident that various modifications and changes may be made in theembodiments of the invention herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as deflned in thefollowing claims.

I claim:-

1. A device of the class described, comprising a housing, an electricswitch mounted in said housing, a hollow operating shaft projectingforwardly from said housing and manually rotatable between two extreme'angular positions to operate said switch, a telltale lamp mounted withinsaid shaft and electrically connected to said switch so as to be lightedwhen said shaft is in one extreme position and to be unlighted when theshaft is in its other extreme position, a lateral aperture in said shaftfor the transmission radially therethrough of light from said lamp whenlighted, and a translucent member having a rear surface in a planeperpendicular to the axis of said shaft and located immediately forwardof said aperture whereby said translucent member is dimly illuminated byrays of light shining through said aperture and impinging on the rearface thereof at a small angle.

2. In a device of the class described, a housing including aforwardly-projecting fixed sleeve, a hollow shaft rotatable in saidsleeve, an operating knob on the forward end of said shaft,current-controlling means in said housing actuated by rotation of saidshaft, a telltale light bulb mounted in said sleeve and electricallyconnected to said current-controlling means, said sleeve and shafthaving lateral apertures arranged to be in registry when saidcurrent-controlling means are in a position to permit current to flowtherethrough, and a shield surrounding said shaft and radial withrespect to the axis thereof, said shield having a radially extendingtranslucent portion immediately forward of said apertures whereby saidtranslucent portion is illuminated from the rear by nearly radial raysimpinging on the rear of said shield at a small angle when said telltalebulb is lighted.

3. A device of the class described, comprising a housing including aforwardly projecting sleeve, an electric switch within said housing, ahollow shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve and operably connected tosaid switch, a telltale lamp mounted in said shaft and connectible to'be lighted when the switch is on" and to be unlighted when the switch isoif", said sleeve and shaft having lateral apertures registering witheach other when the lamp is lighted, and a shield mounted on said sleevenear the forward end thereof, said shield having a translucent portionforward of said apertures whereby said portion is illuminated from therear by light rays impinging on the rear face of said shield at a smallangle when said lamp is lighted.

4. A device of the class described, comprising a housing including aforwardly-projecting sleeve, an electric switch within said housing, ahollow shaft rotatably mounted in saidsleeve and operably connected tosaid switch, a telltale lamp mounted in said shaft and connectible to belighted when the switch is on" and to be unlighted when the switch isoff, an operating knob on the forward end portion of said shaft, saidknob having a translucent flange extending radially, said shaft having alateral aperture behind said flange to permit light from said lamp toilluminate the rear face of said flange, and a substantially opaquescreen supported by said sleeve in front'of said flange, said screenhaving an aperture therein to expose a portion of the flange.

HUGH W. BATCHEILER.

